Interchangeable display of information panels on a dashboard

ABSTRACT

Interchangeable display of information panels on a Dashboard screen of a dashboard in a transportation apparatus is disclosed. The information panels may be graphically displayed at respective positions on the Dashboard screen such that they are separate and independent from each other. In some examples, the display position of a given information panel may be swapped with the display position of another given information panel on the Dashboard screen. In some examples, the display the given information panel may be duplicated at another display position on the Dashboard screen. In some examples, the display the given information panel may be moved to a new display position on the Dashboard screen.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

The present application is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patentapplication Ser. No. 14/967,378, filed Dec. 14, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.9,563,329 B1, which is a continuation of U.S. Nonprovisional patentapplication Ser. No. 14/854,050, filed Sep. 15, 2015, now U.S. Pat. No.9,561,724 B1, the disclosures of each of which are hereby incorporatedby reference in their entireties for all purposes.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention generally relates to user interface displayed on adashboard in a transportation apparatus.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Traditional instrument panels in a transportation apparatus, such as avehicle, a vessel, or an aircraft, are typically fixed to correspondingpositions on a dashboard. For example, speedometer, odometer, fuelgauge, and other gauges are typically fixed to corresponding positionson driver's side dashboard; and radio, GPS, music, and climate control(e.g. A/C) are typically fixed to the middle of the dashboard. Thetraditional instrument panels are typically separate and independentfrom each other. For example, the speedometer, a gauge that measures anddisplays the instantaneous speed of the transportation apparatus, isseparate and independent from the odometer, a gauge indicating adistance traveled by the transportation apparatus.

Developments in liquid crystal display (LCD) technology have madefree-form display on a dashboard a reality. Equipped with the newfree-form display technology, a Dashboard screen can be snipped andshaped to fit virtually any layout design on a dashboard and to fill theentire surface area of the dashboard. The free-form display'sflexibility makes it possible to integrate every necessary monitor orgauge, from speedometer to odometer, into a single instrument panel.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In accordance with one aspect of the invention, a mechanism forinterchangeable display of information panels on a dashboard screen,which fits on a portion of or entire dashboard of a transportationapparatus, is disclosed. Information panels, such as speedometer,odometer, fuel gauge, various indicators (e.g., airbag, seat belt,maintenance indicators, etc.), radio, music, climate control, GPS,video, browser and any other information panels suitable to be presentedon the dashboard of a transportation apparatus, may be displayed on thedashboard screen digitally and graphically. The individual informationpanels may be displayed on the dashboard screen at correspondingpositions at a first given time and may be displayed on the dashboardscreen at different positions at a second given time. A user of thetransportation apparatus, e.g., a driver or passenger, may be enabled toinstruct any given information panel to be displayed at a desiredposition on the dashboard screen at any given time.

In some examples, the user may be enabled to instruct two or moreinformation panels to switch their display positions on the dashboardscreen. In some examples, the user may instruct a given informationpanel to be clustered on top of another information panel. Compared withthe traditional fixed display of information panels discussed above, thedisplay modes of the information panels on the dashboard screen inaccordance with the present disclosure may enable the user(s) of thetransportation apparatus (e.g., the driver(s) or the passenger(s)) toswap or move information panels as desired. This may advantageously letthe user(s) of the transportation apparatus share information withanother user or other users (shared user(s)) of the transportationapparatus instantaneously by displaying one or more information panelsat display position(s) on the dashboard screen convenient for the sharedusers' viewing. This may advantageously let the user(s) of thetransportation apparatus configure or set up an information panel forviewing by another user of the transportation apparatus.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to thoseskilled in the art based on the following drawings and detaileddescription.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 generally illustrates an embodiment of interchangeable display ofinformation panels on a dashboard screen of a dashboard in atransportation apparatus.

FIG. 2 illustrates one example of information panels displayed on thedashboard screen of the dashboard at a time T.

FIG. 3 illustrates one example of information panels displayed on thedashboard screen of the dashboard at a time T+1.

FIG. 4 illustrates one example of information panels displayed on thedashboard screen of the dashboard at a time T+2.

FIG. 5A illustrates that the interchangeable display of informationpanels on the dashboard screen may be in multiple directions.

FIG. 5B illustrates an information panel may be displayed on top ofanother information panel in a cluster mode in accordance with thedisclosure.

FIG. 6 generally illustrates a block diagram of a processor configuredto effectuate the interchangeable display of information panels inaccordance with one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 7 illustrates one example of the components shown in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8A illustrates one example of information panels displayed on adashboard screen in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 8B illustrates information panels shown in FIG. 8A has beenswitched on the dashboard screen.

FIG. 9 illustrates one exemplary method for effectuating interchangeabledisplay of information panels on a Dashboard screen in a transportationapparatus.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 generally illustrates an embodiment of information panels 104displayed on a screen 103 of a dashboard 102 in a transportationapparatus 100. The transportation apparatus 100 may include anyapparatus that moves in distance. Examples of transportation apparatus100 may include a vehicle such as a car, a bus, a train, a truck, atram, or any other type of vehicle; may include a vessel such as a boat,a ship, a barge, a ferry or any other type of watercraft; may include anaircraft such as an airplane, a spaceship, or any other type ofaircraft; or may include any other transportation apparatus. In oneexample, the transportation apparatus 100 is an electrical automobile.As shown, the transportation apparatus 100 may include a cabin 101 witha volume.

As shown in FIG. 1, in the cabin 101, there may be a dashboard 102 thathas a screen 103. Although in this example, a dashboard screen 103occupies the entire surface of the dashboard 102, this is not intendedto be limiting. It is contemplated that in some cases, the dashboardscreen 103 may occupy a portion of the dashboard 102 instead of theentire dashboard 102. In any case, the dashboard screen 103 is suitableto display one or more information panels, such as the informationpanels 104 shown in FIG. 1. In implementations, the dashboard screen 103may include any display technology, such as liquid-crystal display(LCD), crystal LCD, light-emitting diode (LED), organic light-emittingdiode (OLED), active-matrix organic light-emitting diode (AMOLED),Plasma, projection panel, cathode ray tube (CRT), and/or any otherdisplay technology. As also shown, the information panels 104 displayedon the dashboard screen 103 are separate and independent from each othersuch that the individual information panels 104 are displayed atcorresponding positions on the dashboard screen 103. In this example,information panel 104 a is displayed at position 1 on the dashboardscreen 103, information panel 104 b is displayed at position 2 on thedashboard screen 103, information panel 104 n-1 is displayed at positionN−1 on the dashboard screen 103, and information panel 104 n isdisplayed at position N on the dashboard screen 103.

In some examples, information presented in the information panels 104may include gauge information related to the transportation apparatus100, such as current speed/altitude/direction/wind, currentlongitude/latitude, distance traveled, RPM, fuel level, battery level,and/or any other gauge information related to the transportationapparatus 100. In some examples, information presented in theinformation panels 104 may include indication information, such as seatbelt, airbag, door, trunk, maintenance, safety, window lock, door lockindication information or any other indication information. In someexamples, information presented in the information panels 104 mayinclude navigational or GPS information related to navigation of thetransportation apparatus 100, such as current street traveled on, map ofan area the transportation apparatus 100 is traveling in, thedestination information, direction instructions, traffic condition,estimated arrival time, estimated delay due to traffic, and/or any othernavigation information. In some examples, information presented in theinformation panels 104 may include cabin information, such as currenttemperature, humidity, wind speed, number of passengers in one or morezones in the cabin 101 and/or any other cabin information. In someexamples, information presented in the information panels 104 mayinclude configuration information regarding the transportation apparatus100, such as seat configuration, mirror configuration, batteryconfiguration, driving mode configuration, and/or any otherconfiguration. In some examples, information presented in theinformation panels 104 may include entertainment information. Forexample, such an information panel may include a video screen capable ofpresenting a video or still images, a browser screen capable ofpresenting web information, a game screen capable of presenting one ormore games for user interaction, a music information screen capable ofenabling a user to consume music pieces, e-commerce information screencapable of enabling a user to engage remote transaction via theInternet, radio information screen capable of presenting a list of radiostations available for user consumption, and/or any other type ofinfotainment screen. In some examples, information presented in theinformation panels 104 may include notification information such asincoming call, incoming text message, incoming video chat request,and/or any other notification information. Other examples of informationpanels 104 are contemplated.

In accordance with the disclosure, the individual information panels 104may be displayed on the dashboard screen 103 at corresponding positionsas desired by the user(s) 108. In one embodiment, the information panels104 are displayed at their default positions on the dashboard screen103. As will be discussed in further detail below, the presentdisclosure enables the user(s) of the transportation apparatus 100 toinstruct the individual information panels 104 to be displayed at newpositions on the dashboard screen 103.

As still shown in FIG. 1, the transportation apparatus 100 may compriseone or more steering wheels 106 in the cabin 101. Although only onesteering wheel 106 is shown in FIG. 1, this is not intended to belimiting. In some examples, the transportation apparatus 100 may includemore than one steering wheel 106. For example, it is contemplated thatthe transportation apparatus 100 may be an aircraft that comprises atleast a main steering wheel 106 for the main pilot and at least asecondary steering wheel 106 for a co-polit.

As also shown in FIG. 1, one or more users 108 may be arranged to occupytheir corresponding positions in the cabin 101. The users 108 mayinclude one or more drivers that control the movement or navigation ofthe transportation apparatus 100, one or more passengers, and/or anyother type of users 108. In this example, the user 108 a is a driverthat controls the driving of the transportation apparatus 100, whileother users 108, e.g., users 108 b-d, are passengers. As still shown,there may be multiple rows of users 108 within the cabin 101 of thetransportation apparatus 100.

With the arrangement of information panels 104 on the dashboard 102within the cabin 101 of transportation apparatus 100 having beengenerally described, attention is now directed to FIGS. 2-4. FIG. 2illustrates one example of information panels 104 displayed on thedashboard screen 103 as shown in FIG. 1 at a time T. As shown, at timeT, the information panel 104 a that presents speed, distance, batteryand/or any other driving information regarding the transportationapparatus 100 may be displayed at position 1 on the dashboard screen103. The display of the information panel 104 a at position 1 mayfacilitate the driver(s) to acquire driving information to makeappropriate driving decisions, since position 1 is located on thedriver's side of dashboard screen 103. As also shown, at time T, theinformation panel 104 b that presents navigation information may bedisplayed at position 2 on the dashboard screen 103. As described above,the navigation information presented by information panel 104 b mayinclude graphical map indicating an area within which the transportationapparatus 100 is currently traveling, and as well as other navigationinformation such as direction, estimated arrival time, trafficcondition, and/or any other navigation information. The display of theinformation panel 104 b at position 2 may facilitate the driver(s) toacquire navigation information to make appropriate driving decisions,since position 2 is located on the driver's side of dashboard screen103. As still shown, at time T, information panel 104 n-1 is displayedat position N−1 on the dashboard screen 103. In this example, theinformation panel 104 n-1 is a video screen that presents a video to oneor more passengers of the transportation apparatus 100. As also shown,at time T, information panel 104 n is displayed at position N on thedashboard screen 103. In this example, information panel 104 n is aclimate control screen capable of enabling a user to control thetemperature inside cabin 101 of the transportation apparatus 100.

FIG. 3 illustrates information panels, shown in FIG. 2, are displayed onthe dashboard screen 103 at a time T+1. For clarity, FIG. 3 will bedescribed in comparison with FIG. 1. As shown, at time T+1, informationpanel 104 b is displayed at position N−1 on the Dashboard screen 103 andinformation panel 104 n-1 is displayed at position 2 on the dashboardscreen 103. The switch of display positions on the dashboard screen 103may result from a user signal initiated by a user 108 (e.g., a driver ora passenger) of the transportation apparatus 100. For instance, the user108 may initiate display switch of the two information panels 104 byvoice control command, finger gesture, knob switch (i.e., dial), mouseclick in an interface on a computer, and/or any other control commandthat may be initiated by the user 108. In any case, as shown, at timeT+1, the video screen presented by the information panel 104 n-1 isdisplayed at driver's side of the dashboard screen 103.

In one scenario, the arrangement of the information panel 104 n-1 atdriver side may happen when a passenger of the transportation apparatus100 wants to show the video screen to the driver temporarily. Forexample, the video presented in video screen may be showing a funny clipthat may be of interest to the driver(s). In that case, the passenger(s)may initiate the switch as shown so the video screen may be displayed atposition 2 on the dashboard screen 103 in place of the navigation screenpresented by the information panel 104 b. In another scenario, thearrangement of the information panel 104 b at passenger side may happenwhen a driver of the transportation apparatus 100 wants a passenger toenter destination information while the driver is driving thetransportation apparatus 100. In that case, the driver may initiate theswitch as shown so the navigation screen may be displayed at position 3on the dashboard screen 103 in place of the video screen such that thepassenger can enter the new destination information for the driver.

FIG. 4 illustrates information panels 104, shown in FIG. 2, aredisplayed on the dashboard screen 103 of the dashboard 102 at a timeT+2. In FIG. 4, at time T+2, the screen 104 a is duplicated at positionN, replacing the display of the climate control screen 104 n. In onescenario, the arrangement of the information panel 104 a may happen whena driver of the transportation apparatus 100 wants the passenger toacquire driving information of the transportation apparatus 100. Thismay be helpful when one or more passengers are co-drivers or coaches ofthe main driver. In that case, the duplicate of the information panel104 a as shown in FIG. 4 may be initiated either by the main driver orthe co-driver(s).

It should be appreciated that the interchangeable display of informationpanels 104 on the dashboard screen 103 in accordance with the presentdisclosure may take place in multiple directions, not necessarilylimited to the horizontal and/or vertical directions. This isillustrated in FIG. 5B. As shown in FIG. 5B, a given information panel104 x displayed at position X at a given time may be switched to bedisplayed at other positions on the dashboard screen 103 in alldirections.

In some examples, an information panel 104 may displayed on top ofanother information panel in a cluster mode. This is illustrated in FIG.5B. As shown, the display position of information panel 104 x on thedashboard screen 103 may be switched from position X to position N suchthat the information panel 104 x is displayed on top of the informationpanel 104 n.

In some examples, the switched information panels may switched back totheir display positions prior to the switch after a predeterminedperiod. For example, referring back to FIG. 3, the switched display ofthe information panels 104 n-1 and 104 b may be switched back to theirpositions shown in FIG. 2 after, for example, five seconds. As anotherillustration, referring to FIG. 4, the duplicate display of informationpanels 104 a at position N may be switched back to the displayarrangement in FIG. 2 after thirty seconds.

With the interchangeable display of information panels 104 on thedashboard screen 103 of the dashboard 102 in a transportation apparatus100 having been generally described, attention is now directed to FIGS.6-7, where exemplary implementations of the present disclosure isdescribed. FIG. 6 generally illustrates a block diagram of a processorconfigured to effectuate the interchangeable display of informationpanels in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure. As shown, aprocessor 600 may be included in the transportation apparatus 100. Insome examples, the processor 600 is an electronic control unit of thetransportation apparatus 100. As shown, in some example, as in thisexample, the processor 602 comprises a display component 600, aninformation panel display controller 604, and any other components (ifany). The display component 602 may be configured to effectuate thedisplay of information panels on the Dashboard screen 103 of thedashboard 102 in the transportation apparatus 100 as shown in FIG. 1. Inimplementations, the display component 602 may be configured to receivepositions on the dashboard screen 103 requested by the user(s) of thetransportation apparatus 100 for displaying corresponding informationpanels and to effectuate the display of the information panels at thesepositions on the dashboard screen 103 and/or perform any otheroperations. The information panel display controller 604 may beconfigured to receive user signals indicating positions for displayinginformation panels, to obtain current display positions of the requestedinformation panels, generating instructions instructing the displaycomponent 602 to display the requested information panels at requestedpositions, and/or perform any other operations.

FIG. 7 illustrates one example of the components shown in FIG. 6. Itwill be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. 6. As shown, the IPdisplay controller 604, in this example, comprises a user specifiedposition sub-component 702, a current position information sub-component704, and any other components (if any). The user specified positionsub-component 702 may be configured to receive user signals. Thereceived user signals may indicate a request to switch display ofinformation panels on the dashboard screen 103. As shown, the usersignals may be received from various sources, such as a knob (e.g.,dial) on the dashboard 102, a touch pad on a console, a smartphone, atablet associated with the user(s) of the transportation apparatus 100,finger gestures on the dashboard screen 103, hand gesture captured by acamera in the transportation apparatus 100, voice control command, mouseclick on an interface presented on a computer (e.g., a laptop)associated with the user(s) of the transportation apparatus 100, and/orany other source. The content of the received user signals may vary.Some examples of the user signals may include “swap information panel #1and information panel #3”, “Display information panel #1 at position 2(in place of whatever information panel currently displayed at position2)”, and any other user signals.

After receiving the user signals, the user specified positionsub-component 702 may request the current position informationsub-component 704 to obtain current display position of the informationpanels requested. For example, in the case of the received user signalbeing “swap information panel #1 and information panel #3”, the currentposition information sub-component 704 may be instructed to obtain therespective current display positions of information panel #1 andinformation panel #3 on the Dashboard screen 103.

After receiving the current display positions of the requestedinformation panels, the user specified position sub-component 702 may beconfigured to generate instructions to instruct the display component602 to switch the display of the requested information panels. Stillusing the example above, the current position information sub-component704 may obtain the current display position of information panel #1 atposition #1 and the current display position of information panel #3 atposition #5; and the user specified position sub-component 702 maygenerate an instruction of “switch (position) 3 and 5”. In anotherexample, if the received user signal indicate a request to duplicate aninformation panel (e.g. displayed at a current position 2) to anotherposition (e.g., position 1), the user specified position sub-component702 may generate an instruction “duplicate 2 to 1”. Still as anotherexample, if the received user signal indicates a request to move theinformation panel displayed at position N−1 to position 2, the userspecified position sub-component 702 may generate an instruction “switch2 and N−1; and turn off N−1”. As shown, the instructions generated bythe user specified position sub-component 702 may be sent to the displaycomponent 602.

The display component 602, in this example, comprises a position controlsub-component 706, an IP display position information sub-component 708,a display output sub-component 710, and any other components (if any).The position control sub-component 706 may be configured to receive theinstructions from the IP display controller 604. After receiving theinstructions, the position control sub-component 706 may instruct the IPdisplay position information sub-component 708 to obtain currentinformation panels displayed at the positions included in theinstructions. For example, in the case of the received instructionsbeing “switch 1 and N”, the IP display position informationsub-component 708 may be instructed to obtain current information panelsbeing displayed at position 1 and position N—for example informationpanel #2 being displayed at position 1 and information panel #4 beingdisplayed at position 4. After obtaining the information panel(s) beingdisplayed at the display position(s) included in the instruction via theIP display position information sub-component 708, the position controlsub-component 706 may be configured to generate a position controlcommand to instruct the display output sub-component 710 to display theinformation panels accordingly. For example, in the example above, theposition control sub-component 706 may generate a position controlcommand “Display IP#2 at position 4; Display IP #4 at position 1”. Thedisplay output sub-component 710 may be configured to output display ofthe information panels according to the instructions from the positioncontrol sub-component 706. As shown, the display output sub-component710 may receive display information for displaying the informationpanels and receive the position control command from the positioncontrol sub-component 710. Based on these inputs, the display outputsub-component 710 may display the information panels at the positions asinstructed by the position control command from the position controlsub-component 706.

FIGS. 8A-B illustrate one example of interchangeable display ofinformation panels on a Dashboard screen 103 in a transportationapparatus 100 in accordance with the disclosure. They will be describedwith reference to FIG. 1. As shown in FIG. 8A, information panels 802are displayed at their respective positions on the Dashboard screen 103.In this example, the information panel 802 a presents cabin and driverrelated information and is displayed on the left side of the dashboardscreen 103; the information panel 802 b presents driving relatedinformation and is displayed at the center of the dashboard screen 103;and the information panel 802 c presents infotainment and is displayedat the right side of the dashboard screen 103. As shown in FIG. 8B, theinformation panels shown in FIG. 8A may be switched in accordance withthe disclosure. In this example, the display of information panel 802 bis switched with the display of the information panel 802 a.

FIG. 9 illustrates one exemplary method for effectuating interchangeabledisplay of information panels on a dashboard screen in a transportationapparatus. The operations of method 900 presented below are intended tobe illustrative. In some embodiments, method 900 may be accomplishedwith one or more additional operations not described and/or without oneor more of the operations discussed. Additionally, the order in whichthe operations of method 900 are illustrated in FIG. 9 and describedbelow is not intended to be limiting.

In some embodiments, method 900 may be implemented in one or moreprocessing devices (e.g., a digital processor, an analog processor, adigital circuit designed to process information, an analog circuitdesigned to process information, a state machine, and/or othermechanisms for electronically processing information). The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices executing some or allof the operations of method 900 in response to instructions storedelectronically on an electronic storage medium. The one or moreprocessing devices may include one or more devices configured throughhardware, firmware, and/or software to be specifically designed forexecution of one or more of the operations of method 900.

At an operation 902, multiple information panels may be displayed on aDashboard screen on a dashboard in a transportation apparatus 100. Asdescribed above, the information panels displayed at operation 902 maybe separate and independent from each other. For example, at operation902, a first information panel may be displayed at position 1 on thedashboard screen, and a second information panel may be displayed atposition 2 on the dashboard screen.

At an operation 904, a user signal may be received. The received usersignal may indicate a request to switch display of the informationpanels. For example, the received user signal may indicate a request toswitch the display position of the first and second information panelson the dashboard screen. As described above, the source of the usersignal may vary. Example of such a source may include a knob (e.g.,dial) on the dashboard, a touch pad on a console, a smartphone, a tabletassociated with the user(s) of the transportation apparatus, fingergestures on the dashboard screen, hand gesture captured by a camera inthe transportation apparatus, voice control command, mouse click on aninterface presented on a computer (e.g., a laptop) associated with theuser(s) of the transportation apparatus, and/or any other source.

At an operation 906, an instruction to switch the display of twoinformation panels may be generated in accordance with the user signalreceived at operation 904. For example, an instruction may be generatedto switch the display positions of first and second information panelson the Dashboard screen. In some examples, operation 906 may beperformed by a IP display controller substantially similar to or thesame as the IP display controller 604 illustrated and described herein.

At an operation 908, the user requested switch of the display of theinformation panels may be effectuated. In some examples, operation 908may be performed by a display component substantially similar to or thesame as the display component 602 illustrated and described herein.

Implementations of the invention may be made in hardware, firmware,software, or various combinations thereof. The invention may also beimplemented as instructions stored on a machine-readable medium, whichmay be read and executed using one or more processing devices. In oneimplementation, machine-readable media may include various mechanismsfor storing and/or transmitting information in a form that can be readby a machine (e.g., a computing device). For example, machine-readablestorage media may include read-only memory, random access memory,magnetic disk storage media, optical storage media, flash memorydevices, and other media for storing information, and machine-readabletransmission media may include forms of propagated signals, includingcarrier waves, infrared signals, digital signals, and other media fortransmitting information. While firmware, software, routines, orinstructions may be described in the above disclosure in terms ofspecific exemplary aspects and implementations performing certainactions, it will be apparent that such descriptions are merely for thesake of convenience and that such actions in fact result from computingdevices, processing devices, processors, controllers, or other devicesor machines executing the firmware, software, routines, or instructions.

Furthermore, aspects and implementations may be described in the abovedisclosure as including particular features, structures, orcharacteristics, but it will be apparent that every aspect orimplementation may or may not necessarily include the particularfeatures, structures, or characteristics. Further, where particularfeatures, structures, or characteristics have been described inconnection with a specific aspect or implementation, it will beunderstood that such features, structures, or characteristics may beincluded with other aspects or implementations, whether or notexplicitly described. Thus, various changes and modifications may bemade to the preceding disclosure without departing from the scope orspirit of the invention, and the specification and drawings shouldtherefore be regarded as exemplary only, with the scope of the inventiondetermined solely by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. An information display system in a transportationapparatus, the information display system comprising: a liquid crystaldisplay (LCD) screen that occupies at least a portion of a dashboard ofthe transportation apparatus, wherein the LCD screen is capable ofgraphically displaying multiple information panels at respectivepositions on the LCD screen, wherein the information panels include afirst information panel and a second information panel; and a processorconfigured to: display the first information panel at a first positionon the LCD screen and display the second information panel at a secondposition on the LCD screen, wherein the first display positioncorresponds to a driver of the transportation apparatus and the seconddisplay position correspond to a passenger of the transportationapparatus; receive a user signal indicating a request to switch thedisplay positions of the first and second information panels on the LCDscreen; generate a switch instruction to switch the display of first andsecond information panels in accordance with the received user signal;display the first information panel at the second position on the LCDscreen and display the second information panel at the first position onthe LCD screen in accordance with the generated switch instruction;generate a switch-back instruction to switch back the display positionsof the first information panel and second information panel to theirprevious display positions prior to the switching after a predeterminedtime period.
 2. The information display system of claim 1, wherein theprocessor is further configured to receive a user signal indicating arequest to move the display position of the first information panel to athird position on the LCD screen.
 3. The information display system ofclaim 2, wherein a third information panel is also displayed at thethird position such that the first and third information panels aredisplayed in a cluster mode after the display of the first informationpanel is moved to the third display position.
 4. The information displaysystem of claim 1, wherein the processor is further configured toreceive a user signal indicating a request to duplicate the display ofthe first information panel at a third display position on the LCDscreen.
 5. The information display system of claim 1, wherein the firstposition is horizontal to the second position on the LCD screen.
 6. Theinformation display system of claim 1, wherein the first position isvertical to the second position on the LCD screen.
 7. The informationdisplay system of claim 1, wherein the first position is diagonal to thesecond position on the LCD screen.
 8. The information display system ofclaim 1, wherein the transportation apparatus is a vehicle, a vessel oran aircraft.
 9. A method of displaying information panels in atransportation apparatus, the transportation apparatus comprising aliquid crystal display (LCD) screen that occupies at least a portion ofa dashboard of the transportation apparatus, wherein the LCD screen iscapable of graphically displaying multiple information panels atrespective positions on the LCD screen, wherein the information panelsinclude a first information panel and a second information panel, themethod comprising: displaying the first information panel at a firstposition on the LCD screen and display the second information panel at asecond position on the LCD screen, wherein the first display positioncorresponds to a driver of the transportation apparatus and the seconddisplay position correspond to a passenger of the transportationapparatus; receiving a user signal indicating a request to switch thedisplay positions of the first and second information panels on the LCDscreen; generating a switch instruction to switch the display of firstand second information panels in accordance with the received usersignal; displaying the first information panel at the second position onthe LCD screen and display the second information panel at the firstposition on the LCD screen in accordance with the generated switchinstruction; generating a switch-back instruction to switch back thedisplay positions of the first information panel and second informationpanel to their previous display positions prior to the switching after apredetermined time period.
 10. The method of claim 9, further comprisingreceiving a user signal indicating a request to move the displayposition of the first information panel to a third position on the LCDscreen.
 11. The method of claim 10, wherein a third information panel isalso displayed at the third position such that the first and thirdinformation panels are displayed in a cluster mode after the display ofthe first information panel is moved to the third display position. 12.The method of claim 9, further comprising receiving a user signalindicating a request to duplicate the display of the first informationpanel at a third display position on the LCD screen.
 13. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the first position is horizontal to the second positionon the LCD screen.
 14. The method of claim 9, wherein the first positionis vertical to the second position on the LCD screen.
 15. The method ofclaim 9, wherein the first position is diagonal to the second positionon the LCD screen.
 16. The method of claim 9, wherein the transportationapparatus is a vehicle, a vessel or an aircraft.